


The First Circle

by PabbitSupporter



Series: TWW Universe [1]
Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: A Lot of Plot, All the boys dress up as different "religious" figures, Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, An epilogue type of thing for TWW., I wrote this instead of my final chapter because I'm avoiding responsibility., Is it possible to have an AU within an AU?, It should make sense as a stand alone... kind of?, M/M, Mild Language, Multi, Not a lot of angst (for once), Yuletide, definitely not a guide or how to, don't read if you're sensitive to misconstrued practices
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:27:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28370145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PabbitSupporter/pseuds/PabbitSupporter
Summary: Jisung gets the honor of hosting the Yule circle for his clan.
Relationships: Han Jisung | Han/Lee Minho | Lee Know, Hwang Hyunjin/Kim Seungmin/Yang Jeongin | I.N, Lee Felix/Seo Changbin
Series: TWW Universe [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2077746
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8





	The First Circle

“Okay.  _ Who  _ gave me the dick candle?”

“Jisung, I swear- if you don’t get out from under the mistletoe, I’m going to put  _ my _ toe somewhere that you’ll regret.”

“I’m waiting-”

“For Minho.  _ I know. _ Hyunjin? Have you seen my besom?”

“I think Felix took it downstairs. Said he would ‘sweep Changbin off his feet’.”

“That’s  _ sacred!” _

It certainly wouldn’t be- anymore- with the amount of time the soulmates had spent on their own.

In a series of increasingly frustrated stomps: Chan made his way down stairs. And scarred his eyes for the rest of his life.

Changbin and Felix- who were  _ supposed  _ to be preparing the tools for the clan’s circle- were  _ definitely _ raising energy. Just not the kind that was meant to be shared with others.

_ Of course _ . He couldn’t trust  _ any _ of them to complete their assigned tasks (on time!!) without some sort of supervision.

Except Minho. Praise be to the second oldest for  _ actually  _ being responsible.

...Hopefully.

Chan was relying on Minho to go pick up a few of overlooked ingredients for the feast. They hadn’t forgotten anything major, Felix’s triple-checking the day prior had made sure of that; but it was important that they had enough offerings to cover the entire clan. Or, more accurately, enough snacks to survive the fingers of his hungry members throughout the night.

Minho burst through the front door, arms straining from the weight of his grocery bags. Hair swept into a nest from the nasty winter winds, the shifter stumbled into the kitchen with a long, exaggerated groan.

“Hyung! How could you! You just-” Sweeping his wailing soulmate into a dramatic, movie scene kiss. Jisung’s sudden silence had the room’s occupants sighing with relief.

Chan sighed as he entered the kitchen, returning to his place by the stove with tired feet. He stirred the large pot with careful rounds. It was the main course of their feast and Chan couldn’t risk leaving it in the hands of anyone else. Not with how rowdy they’d been all day. It was understandable, though. Being Yule and all.

Over his shoulder, he called to his youngest two members: “Seungmin, can you grab my book from Felix? I can’t remember what I’m supposed to put in next. And Jeongin, start putting away the groceries? But, leave the ginger and pine needles out.”

Chorused agreements from the two youngest rang through the room as they pushed past Minho and Jisung with looks of mild disgust and annoyance.

The aggression sent Jisung’s overly-large headdress tumbling towards the floor. If not for Minho’s reflexes, the heavy chair-like sculpture would’ve been in pieces. (Really, they had made it out of modeling clay a couple days ago and none of the legs were even the same length. Somehow, Jisung still remained viciously protective over the ugly headdress).

With a screech of indignation, Jisung snatched the headwear back and delicately placed it back on his head. “Watch where you’re going, you brats! You almost broke my  _ throne! _ ”

“If you hadn’t decided to represent some incestuous queen- it wouldn’t have been a problem! Next time pick someone with a flower crown, or something!” 

At Seungmin’s mentioning, Minho subtly slipped out of the room to go change into his uniform. Though he could’ve stayed in it to go to the store- Minho didn’t really care about the strange looks people would give him- it was cold. And his Royal attire didn’t afford much protection from the weather.

“Says  _ you! _ You’re dropping feathers everywhere!” Jisung’s shouts could be heard throughout the house. And probably, the neighborhood. It was his first circle and he had put  _ hours  _ of studying various historical figures until he found the  _ perfect _ one.

As per the clan’s tradition, each of the members had chosen deities of various cultures to represent in their celebrations. The costumes and representations ranged from overtly sparse- Felix in his short, golden toga- to elaborate products from  _ days  _ of labor. Like  _ Jisung’s.  _ In his excitement for the unfamiliar celebration, he’d constructed a  _ gigantic  _ and  _ highly detailed  _ headdress to honor the Egyptian goddess  _ Isis _ . Who was  _ far more _ than a mere woman who had loved her brother. Unlike what the haters (Seungmin.) would say.

In so many ways she represented the wonder of the world and magic and life, itself.

Which. _Obviously._ Was far more significant than some petty aristocracy. Such as Seungmin’s _Oak King_ who was chosen only because Minho picked the Holly King. Even on a sabbat, the two couldn’t stop the eternal tensions. It was almost comedical- how close the two had grown while designing matching outfits. Everyone saw it as a bi-annual confirmation of their brotherhood. 

The golden-rimmed leaves of Seungmin’s oak crown beautifully highlighted the amber tones in the pup’s hair. And the berry-laden bunches arranged around Minho’s circlet gracefully brought out the warm flush of Minho’s cheekbones. Together they were dressed as contemporary royalty; fitted black uniforms lined with their respective metal ascents.

The attire was stunning.

Even more complimentary were the designs created by Felix and Changbin. Leaning into their trope of sunshine and darkness, the two had chosen Helios and Nyx. While Felix was happily skipping around in extravagant, golden accessories, his soulmate was shrouded in a heavy mass of black fabric. It was so oversized that Felix had to carry half of it just to stop Changbin from tripping.

After Chan managed to blend all of the herbs together and wrangle all of the children into the basement, they were able to begin.

Having eight for the circle worked perfectly: each of the corners and the transitional points were fulfilled. Though Hana couldn’t use her paws or say any of the words in their language, she was still included in the celebrations. The clan had gone as far as to dress her in reminiscent tones of Odin (and therefore, Chan)’s personal familiars: Freki. The eldest had proclaimed the idea days ago when he’d excitedly been searching online for a cloak that would fit the rapidly growing pup. And with consent translated via Seungmin, she’d been daned as one of Freki’s living conduits.

Anyways, as the focal point, the center, the  _ soul _ of the circle: Jisung was allowed to lead. It was a controversial point to some- but for the clan, it was a perfect setup. Giving the newbie an opportunity to show his worth in  _ this  _ aspect of their lives would be an affirming experience for everyone.

Thus, Jisung was standing just outside of the circle, next to an intentional crack in the salt. He’d already thrown some pre-prepared herbs into the electric fireplace, alongside the Yule log, to heighten the experience from the start.

In Jisung’s mind, his draping, white robes helped to harness the powers of shameless confidence. Since he’d entered the basement- complete with a decorative cauldron of herbs hung off his arm- Jisung’s consciousness had been going in and out. His actions weren’t  _ completely  _ his own. The energy of  _ everything  _ seemed to be so much more intense than he had expected. There were far more than just nine beings in the room.

Guided by the hand of his chosen queen, Jisung anointed each of his clanmates as they crossed into his circle. He’d been studying for weeks; practicing his words and gestures until his head spun. Yet, all the effort seemed obsolete as the Queen guided his hands across each bared forehead. Hana, too, remained calm as the space between her eyes was dabbed with the concoction Jisung had personally brewed for a month straight.

The mixture had taken his utmost attention- and oversight from Minho  _ and  _ Chan. It had been a real pain. The edge between too much and too little was  _ far _ too thin for someone of his skill level. Difficulty obtaining some of the ingredients had delayed the production; the wolfsbane, in particular, had taken a couple of trips to a special, local apothecary.

Of course, the balance had to be maintained. Felix had been put in charge of creating a healing tea that would help everyone recover after the ceremony was over. And, in accordance to Jisung’s request, a puppy-safe treat had been made, too. Hyunjin, despite his lack of sight in reality, had grown more attuned to other planes. Thus, he was responsible for meditating and charging all of the required supplies. Seungmin and Jeongin had the lovely jobs of playing treasurer and secretary (it had been quite a draining task- especially, when Jisung and Minho kept demanding Americanos to fuel their magick).

Minho was the last to step into the circle (kind of? He had Hana following closely behind). His eyes twinkled with mischief as Jisung blushed and brought two fingers from the bowl up to his soulmate's brow and dragged them horizontally.

“Merry meet,” Jisung muttered as he dropped his hand and returned to his table in the center.

Grabbing the generic-branded container of salt, he carefully walked over to the gap in the circle and closed it. Jisung’s headdress threatened to fall off as he shakily knelt, requiring additional attention from the boy. In the background, Seungmin snickered at his struggles.

The stress levels in Jisung’s body rose as he retook his place in the center. He  _ really _ was about to do this, wasn’t he? All of the grimoire pages he’d made and read- all of the mythos and stories of celebration- it all came down to  _ this _ .

“Welcome. Tonight we are to raise energy and celebrate times of present and past. Tonight we will burn the bright and bring light to the dark and cold times of the winter solstice. Before we do that, let us call the corners and ask out deities to join us.”

With the opening done, Jisung clapped his hands and walked counterclockwise around the circle. In the second pass, he picked up his custom metal bell and rang it in front of each person he passed. And on the third, he walked around with some peppermint and eucalyptus oil which he’d lit on fire. At the bottom of the burning, obsidian bowl, he’d gone overboard and placed a myriad of black tourmaline chunks. The eucalyptus, while necessary for the infusion, he’d only used a drop or two of. Had to keep the toxicity levels low for his shifter friends, after all.

With the circle vacant of energy, Jisung paused at his table again. “Please bow your heads and silently request that each of your deities to join us as I create a space that will be most suitable for their honorable selves.”

Clockwise this time, Jisung circled. Always a fan of symmetry, he picked up another custom oil and lit it on fire. This one was considerably less aggressive, a pleasant blend of lavender and rosemary that Hyunjin had recommended as his personal favorite.

The second and third passes consisted of a singing bowl and then Jisung humming a low, droning melody.

And then- the most nerve wracking part came. With practiced turns, he gathered the four colored candles from the table and placed them in the hands of those in the corners. As a way of involving each person in the opening portion of the ceremony, those standing in the transition points were handed a set of matches. Jisung, himself would light the first candle seeing as Hana couldn't be expected to do so.

Though he’d been dictated to preside over the ritual, Jisung had a format in mind that would allow for the energy of the circle to be shared. Ideally, it would stop  _ only  _ his own from being drained. “As this is my circle, only those who are requested to enter are allowed to be present. Within this sacred space that I have created, may my brothers and our guardians prosper.” Surprisingly, the words came out without a single wobble. “So let it be.” And in a pleasing harmony: his clanmates responded in kind.

Turning to his right, Jisung faced Changbin. He had to resist laughing at the overly large hood which draped over his hyung’s head; but as the next words came to him, Jisung’s expression fell flat. “Everyone except Nyx and her representative, turn to the East.” 

As the clan pivoted, Jisung’s eyes widened.

Pre-invocation, Changbin had already brought the Goddess of Night into their circle. Over the elder human’s shoulder hovered an imposing, dark figure. The mass of energy clung to Changbin like a second cloak, making him resemble a shadow more than a living being.

Holding the yellow candle at his waist, Changbin’s unwavering gaze pierced through Jisung as he recited the words he’d- no doubt- been saying for years. Nothing about it would’ve surprised Jisung- had his hyung’s voice not been layered with a tittering female intonation. The low and high pitches blended together and rang through the room with an overwhelming wholeness:

“Great Goddess Nyx; Lady of the Night; Fearsome Protectress; Tamer of Men and Gods: may you join us and empower our circle with the flowing gracefulness of the element air. My brothers and I honor you and your limitless strength. Enter our sacred place  _ now _ . So let it be.”

“So let it be,” came the response, louder than the last call.

With Changbin’s nod of finality, Jisung stepped forward and lit the candle. The wick sparked and danced in the depths of the basement, breathing a much-needed warmth into the space. With it, the darkness was more visible; swirling and dancing in mesmerizing circles around the circle.

Jisung carefully backpedaled the three paces to his table and dipped into a deep bow (with a cautious hand on his throne, of course). “Welcome Air and Goddess Nyx. Thank you for your oversight.”

Straightening, Jisung sharply turned to the South and directed the others to mimic his actions. Now, he could just turn in place as the other members lit and called their elements. The break was appreciated- it allowed him to observe the more experienced members as they went through well-known motions.

Sparing no second, Felix let out a whoop of cheer and shook his candle energetically upwards. “Woo!!  _ Fire!!!  _ YEAHH!”

In true  _ Army  _ fashion, Hyunjin echoed happily: “OH WAY OHHH~!” His ragged, dirty clothes fell around his body as he mimicked some old dance moves. A grim, singular eye necklace swung around the shifter’s neck. It was something that his soulmates had found utterly  _ hilarious  _ when they were contemplating outfits to correspond with Hyunjin’s newfound disability. “It’s like it was  _ fate _ ,” they had giggled.

The two rambunctious shifters nearly had Jisung shitting himself, thinking that they were going to ruin his meticulously planned circle.

Thankfully, Seungmin cleared his throat and Hyunjin settled down immediately. But, certainly not apologetically.

“Brightest of them all; God of the Sun; Watcher from Above: Helios. Hear me. Bring us your light to fend off the winter’s darkness. Your fire is needed to protect our humble circle. Shine on us and warm our hearts. So let it be.”

The response brought heightened warmth and Felix practically glowed with the red candle Hyunjin had lit (with little mechanical error). The light created a golden aura around the boy. More than a physical heat, Helios’ energy gleamed with soft acceptance and hope.

Mesmerized by the visible evidence of their continuous successes, it took a low “ _ Jisung”  _ from Chan for the human to get his head screwed back on. He even forgot to bow. What an amateur.

“Turn to the West.”

The combination of Jeongin and Chan was considerably more subdued.

Chan’s long, fake beard swayed as he raised the blue candle and his staff towards the ceiling. “Home of the eternal flow of life and the unknown. Water, we honor you and request your presence.” Chan paused to gather himself for a second, eyes closed as he began to shift with each uttered epithet, “Father of Men; Advisor of the Lost; Wise Teacher of the Gods: Odin. I call upon you to guide the energy of water to our circle. So let it be.”

Jeongin, in his overdone Freya attire, flicked strands of a blond wig over his shoulder and lit the blue candle.

Odin’s entrance was more subtle about his entrance than the others. It was clear a new presence had entered the room- one of immeasurable age and knowledge. With the heavy feeling of being watched, the ceremony proceeded.

This time, Jisung remembered to bow and express his gratitude.

“Turn to the North.”

Jisung found it impossible to withhold his smile as he faced his soulmate. The warmth that sparked between the two inevitably bled into the circle as their eyes met and the bond pulsed. A rare grin met Jisung’s with equal, unreserved affection.

Seungmin was by his side, match ready. Fitted pants and cinched jackets displayed both of the shifters in a stunning light. The metallic accents sparkled in the faint candle light. Honestly, Jisung was in awe of the innate beauty of his clanmates on the daily. But, when they were guided by the hands of the metaphysical- everything seemed exponentially more fantastical.

The shifter broke from their staring match to focus on the wick of the green candle cradled in his hands.

“Hail to the North. Hail to the bountiful spirits of Earth-our home. Hail to the Holly King, who takes reign during the dark months. Bring power to our circle as the glory of the season of physical rest comes. Enter as this candle is lit.”

Minho had been the only one to dress his candle, which he’d been adamant about doing. Even though the basement was surrounded by dirt and clay- the concrete room, itself, was very disconnected from nature’s greenery. Thus, as the wax burned: the scents of various herbs floated outwards. Peppermint, thyme, dragon’s blood, and a braid made from everyone’s hair were wrapped around the candle- to Jisung’s memory. Part of his head stung as the phantom pain from Minho’s gleeful pulling arose. He  _ really _ didn’t want to think about smelling the charred hair of his clanmates.

Seungmin broke from the standard ritual to add in his own utterance as he flicked the lighter and lit the green candle: “Oak King, cede your oversight of this undeserving planet to his holiness, The Oak King. For he will provide you a place of uninterrupted rest for the coming months until you rise to strength, once again.” In an unnerving harmony, the two spoke the final corner summons: “As the change has been called for, let the Winter Solstice take with it the warm of the summer to place the lands in a time of slumber. So let it be.”

The final words of confirmation were pulled out of Jisung as Seungmin lit the candle and retook his place. Rather than the invocation of a single element and entity, the two kings brought forth an entire cycle of flares and emotions. The airy renewal of spring and energetic passions of summer swirled around the room. Then, the waning whims of autumn. Following the direction of Chan’s spear, the cooling air reached Seungmin and Minho and blew directly into Jisung’s front.

It hit him with a force that he had no means to redirect. The overwhelming emotions of all four seasons accompanied by their individual experiences. For a few, brief moments, the presences of each of the deities and their conduits were overly loud- blasting him with all their emotions and wishes. It was as if Jisung could close his eyes and maneuver the area easily, guided purely by instincts provided by the energies.

And then it ended.

Similar to the whiplash of a harsh wind dying down, his skin was left gnawed and much-too-sensitive. Unmoving, Jisung stared at his soulmate. He honed in on the smallest of details as a way of grounding. The red of the berries, the mess of brown hair, the flush that reached Minho’s ears. All of it was stunning. Almost so surreal that Jisung could stare for days without being distracted.

“Ji.” He saw Minho’s mouth move before the words fully processed. It wasn’t a reprimand- only spoken as a means of gentle guidance.

Jolting out of his reverie, Jisung practically fell forward as he bowed the deepest bow yet. How could he not when there were two kings entering their space at  _ one time _ ? “Welcome, your highnesses. May your endeavors be ever prosperous. Welcome, water.

“Face inwards.” Spinning sharply to face his table, Jisung picked up his two honorary objects. As the focal point, the representative of spirit,  _ and _ Goddess Isis’ conduit: he felt an extraordinary amount of pressure. In the process of constructing his hailing, it had felt far too heavy- too impossible- to do it by himself. Being the final part of the circle, it was too much stress.

And so, Chan had helped to create two tools for the task. The first, in honor of his goddess, a beautiful ankh with a shining amethyst in the joining point of the symbol. Wrapped in vines and stems (some with small flowers still attached), it represented life growing around the clan. The second was far less fancy. With the signatures from all members of his clan, and a disgusting amount of Hana’s slobber, a wooden baking spoon had been christened. Emotionally, it symbolized the times when the clan was happiest together: whenever food was present. In reality, he’d just ran out of time and having only one tool seemed lopsided.

Thus, raising his arms to the sky- as he’d taken from Chan’s example- Jisung looked upwards and recited his memorized lines: “Welcome Goddess Isis; Mother of All; Protectress of the Cosmos. With your oversight of the living and the dead, the weary and the lost: please heed our wishes and grant us with your presence. Hail to the spirit of the collective.”

For the first time in his life, Jisung managed to manifest an entity. And, somehow, he knew it wasn’t even the drop in a hat of what it  _ could  _ be. The Goddess had reaches that touched incomprehensible distances. Her energy occupied all areas of the Earth and Air and the minute fraction of it that was present within their circle softly wrapped the nine in a silken blanket of reassurance. Likening it to the familiarity of a time-worn crone, Jisung silently called upon her knowledge to aid him through the rest of the ceremony.

“Hail to the full moon; bringer of bountiful stores, clarity and successful completion. Enter our circle and guide us with your wisdom through these trying times. So let it be.”

Just when he thought that the collective energy couldn’t have grown more- it did. With the calls corresponding to the purple candle were finished and the wick lit: all of the elements were present.

Jisung nearly laughed at the foreign feeling- unsure of the appropriate way to interpret such a sensation. Directly in front of him, Felix  _ was _ laughing. Joyous and tinkling, the sounds filled the air and made the golden glow of the southern sect grow even brighter.

Placing his tools back on the table, Jisung clapped his hands three times. The overpowering sensations died down immediately.

“Okay! I’m going to keep this short. Nothing  _ too  _ fancy.” Bouncing on his toes, Jisung’s hands flittered around the tabletop as he tried to think through the next part of the ceremony.

Hyunjin snorted and shook his head in blatant disagreement. Breaking character, Jisung sneered at the boy. Though Hyunjin obviously couldn’t see the childish act, the emotions transmitted through the circle without the slightest of barriers. Right now, they were closer than any physical act could bring them to be. Hyunjin’s snark; Chan’s calm; Minho’s pride:  _ every  _ present state was blasting and bouncing around the area. Jisung wondered what they were sensing from him. Probably anxiety.

A subtle, mental tap from his goddess guided Jisung back to his purpose. 

Clearing his throat, Jisung acquiesced. “The Winter Solstice is the longest night of the year. And we’ve decided to spend it together.” Hana barked heartily at the sentiment of being allowed to join her new family in such an important celebration. “Joined by eight of the greats, we celebrate. We choose to let go of hate on this honorable date.”

Muttered from behind his back,  _ Seungmin _ just couldn’t resist commenting, “ _ Oh my Kings _ . This is the last time he’s ever in charge. It’s worse than when Changbin does it. I don’t know why I ever expected anything different.” Impatience battled against Felix and Jeongin’s amusement.

Rather than ignore the slander, Jisung made it his quest to rap the rest of his lines.

“On this eve, we choose not to grieve; and thus, are granted a reprieve.” He took a second to think of his next line. It was different from what he spent hours rehearsing; but none of the deities seemed to have an issue with the altered proclamations. “Alongside Goddess Isis, I am here to free your mind of all crises. Perchance, could I ask you to participate in a dance? As a facet of romance, we will prance around without pants.”

“Someone stop him,” Seungmin bemoaned. 

Chuckling, Jisung finally acquiesced. “Alright, alright. Place your candles- if you have them- near the ring of salt and turn clockwise.” All of the members- Hana included- obeyed.

Picking up the chant they’d all agreed on beforehand, Jisung left his post and skipped around the circle, high-fiving each of the boys as he passed. It was simple, really. And with perfect timing, Jisung’s words and actions were joined perfectly by his clan’s. The entire circle was turning and spinning and absolutely  _ hollering _ . Hana, with bells attached to her collar, was prancing merrily. 

The calls and responses mimicked a haka they’d seen in the media, a stunning display of empowering masculinity. A perfect way to remind the members of their strength in unity. 

Jisung found himself being grabbed and spun along the inner circle. A spin from Chan. A short trot of ballroom steps curated through Minho’s past.

Most thankfully, Hyunjin didn’t have a problem keeping up. The circle was turning slow, to accommodate Hyunjin  _ and  _ Changbin; yet, it didn’t limit the level of happiness at all. Following the sound of Hana’s bells, Hyunjin had a hand wrapped into Changbin’s robes- just in case. All in all, it was great to know that- after everything they’d been through- traditions didn’t have to change.

On the ninth rotation, the boys slowed to a casual walk until they reached their places.

With a last final yell, that took all of the air from their lungs (and surely, woke up the entire neighborhood), Jisung retook his place in the middle.

“Now. Before we feast, I asked each of you to bring an offering to be exchanged for the protection of the deities for the remainder of this season. With the guidance of my Goddess, I propose that you not only give- but take, as well. From my position as a vessel of the divine, I initiate this trade. Remember that you are not taking me. You are taking from those we have called upon.”

Out of over-eagerness (snacks!), Jisung bent at the waist to grab the goods and his headdress nearly fell off! With a yelp, he clamped it back onto his head and straightened. His hands were shaking from fright. Just  _ a little bit longer _ and it would all be over.

_ Continue.  _ Rather than be angered, his Goddess urged him to overlook the fumble. It was insignificant in the long-term.

On the second attempt, he knelt down and picked up the two bowls with movements. One empty, one filled with brownies baked by Felix (with mixing help from Hyunjin). Supposedly, they were packed with nutrients that would help to ground them after the overload of energy in the chants. (Read: a shit ton of sugar and chocolate to compensate for the endorphins lowering.) The squares looked thick and gooey, Jisung couldn’t wait to try one himself.

Starting at Changbin, Jisung walked clockwise. “You may eat one once your item has been exchanged.” It wasn’t anything extravagant. The offerings didn’t have to be large or plentiful or expensive. That wasn’t the point. It was all about the intent and the symbolism embodied in the clan giving part of themselves to their Gods, Goddesses, Kings, and Queens. Later, the objects would be placed in a sealed container and buried.

Buttons, strings, crystals, and sticks filled the bowl once Jisung made it back and offered his own item: a shard of glass. It was from Hyunjin’s old house, the broken window from the beginning of The Night of Terror. Following advice from his members, it had been completely cleansed- through various means- before the glass had been charged with “clear thoughts of reflection”. Or so he hoped, at least. Meditation still wasn’t something Jisung really understood.

Once the brownies were gone, Jisung took hold of his chalice. In this case, the word  _ chalice _ is merely a placeholder (an exaggeration, some might say). In reality, it was the ugly mug that Minho had given him all those months ago. Garish black and white polka dots covered the surface. Within? A fancy pouring of his  _ favorite _ sparkling juice. One of those the glass bottles that always made him feel particularly  _ adult. _

“As you drink from this, imagine it as the blood of Earth from which you were born. Picture it’s endless power as the liquid flows through your body and down to the ground. Remember, don’t be selfish. Let the clean energy enter you and allow it to replace the dirty excess that you do not need. Let the unwanted energy leave. Greed and gluttony are not welcome in this circle.”

Jisung held the cup while his members drank. It was  _ particularly  _ difficult with some of the members- namely, Hyunjin and Seungmin- because if he looked up  _ too  _ far, the throne atop his head would fall. Again. 

When he kneeled down to Hana’s height, the dog happily slurped up the remaining drops. Minho had made sure to leave very little liquid, for the sake of reducing mess.

“As we finish with this rite: I wish to remind all of my mortal circle members that we are never alone. Our deities are always within reach. Remember that in tough times.”  _ Correct.  _ Jisung smiled. The word wasn’t spoken aloud; the burst of universal affirmation rang through the circle with an ageless sense of approval. From behind all of the conduits.

Cheeks warm, Jisung retook his ankh and spoon and raised them to the ceiling. “Thank you to all of the attending deities. Thank you to Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. And lastly, thank you to all of my members for helping me host this circle. May it never be closed. Out into the universe is where I send this unbroken circle. For the energy to thrive and grow as we do. To serve all, as a sanctuary, in times of need. Merry meet. Merry part. And merry meet again.” He added a little bow at the end, just because it felt right in his native culture.

Changbin, Felix, Chan, and Minho brought their candles to the table. A menorah-like stand had been placed prior, to allow the candles to burn down naturally.

After Minho returned to his place, Jisung took his two tools and mimicked the motion of slicing a door into the air between Hana and Changbin. Just like in foggy Scooby Doo scenes, he created an exit thought the energy field. If only it were possible to see the fruits of his labor in reality.

As the first one to enter, Jisung had to be the first to leave and guide his members out. It felt silly, honestly, having to step over the ring of salt without breaking it. He did it, nonetheless.

Changbin followed directly after, sweeping Jisung up into a muscley hug. Their plentiful robes tangled in a mesh of black and white. “Good job,” the elder cooed as he flung Jisung left and right like a ragdoll. The affection left the younger breathless.

Much to Jisung’s displeasure, he was thrown right into Hyunjin as the shifter shakily followed Felix’s guidance. He caught himself on Hyunjin’s shoulders the moment the his first foot planted outside of the circle. Without much thought, Jisung pulled the blind boy across, clear of the circle, and into a proper embrace. 

Hyunjin whined at being manhandled- he really hated it. Even if actions were being verbally explained as they were committed, the lack of autonomy drove the shifter  _ insane _ . “It’s alright, Jinnie. It’s just me. You’re out of the circle.” Turning slightly, Jisung released Hyunjin into the direction of the feast. “Changbin’s a couple steps in front of you. And so’s the table. I know you want some of that friend chicken.”

As soon as he heard of Changbin’s proximity, a pouty bottom lip jutted out and Hyunjin stuck his hands out in the elder’s direction. In their time as ‘Chronically Injured Buddies’, the two had grown extremely close. Changbin obliged the silent demand without complaint, guiding the shifter to the table and even plating his food first.

Felix hopped across next. With the gracefulness of a dancer spun, spun himself into Jisung’s arms with a gleeful laugh. His eyes were nearly closed because of how hard he was smiling; and Jisung couldn’t help but return the expression.

_ He’d done it.  _ The circle wasn’t an utter failure. Nothing had broken (or fallen). Jisung hadn’t tripped or stumbled over his words. It was  _ done _ .

Jeongin, Chan, and Seungmin all left the circle with their own congratulatory hugs and words of encouragement. The boys were all ready to eat- most of them had been too caught up in the days preparations to take in much sustenance. Stomachs were  _ definitely _ rumbling.

Minho stepped across and quickly turned to help Hana. With the pup safely ambling towards the table, Minho quickly corralled Jisung towards the nearest wall. The two were easily swept up in a wave of affection that (admittedly) wasn’t suited for the ‘public’.

The others were too immersed in bickering over who got the best portions of which food to notice, anyway.

By the time the two soulmates reunite with the rest of the clan, Jisung’s crown had been abandoned and was replaced with Minho’s holly circlet. It was much easier to maintain atop his head. The younger’s robes were in disarray and Minho’s shirt had been pulled free of his belt. A sheen of sweat covered them both; but stubbornly went unacknowledged when questioned by their clan.

Seungmin, with a high wail, fell to his knees as they reached the table. The sudden loud  _ thud _ scared Hyunjin, who jumped and nearly dropped his plate. “You won this time, Your Highness. But it’ll be my win, next. You can rest assured I will take my place, once again, when it is time.”

“Rise, weakling. I know you are aware of your place as my disciple. You are just a  _ peasant  _ in my eyes. s such, I order you to make my consort and I plates from this delicious banquet. Only the very best of nutrients.”

The younger remained on his knees until Minho turned away, his attention returning back to his soulmate with a smirk.

“Consort?  _ Really?  _ Is that all I am to you?”

“Yes.” Minho chirped and skipped back to Seungmin’s side to direct him what he wanted put on each of the plates that the pup was dutifully filling.

The solstices were a game between the two and Minho was determined to milk it for however many minutes were left of the night. When they woke up in the morning, the only power Minho would have over his bratty dongsaeng would be his superior age (and looks. knowledge. personality. financial assets. Really. What was he worried about?!  _ Obviously _ he was the best.)

Off to the side, Jeongin and Changbin were consoling Hyunjin, who had yet to calm down from the dramatics. Jisung joined them, apologizing profusely for this soulmate’s antics. Even if Seungmin had ‘started it’, the pup had definitely  _ learned it _ from Minho.

Felix and Chan were blissfully ignorant of both scenes, too immersed in a discussion of which of their deities would make a better video game character. Chan said it was undeniably Odin. But, Felix was  _ sure _ that Helios would be better- given the right environment.

  
  


The night ended with a typical, clan sleepover. Everyone piled into the recently decked out ‘Movie Room’ in the back of the Lee House. It was stocked with snacks, a mini fridge, all of their favorite blankets, and  _ even _ an upgraded projector.

Jisung lounged back against Hana’s grown body; the hound had nearly doubled in size since they first met. In an act of indulgence, he allowed his dearest king to relax between his legs and sporadically eat hand-delivered grapes. It was a once-a-year kind of thing that Jisung didn’t mind partaking in.

Hyunjin- in his cat form because heightened senses made life easier- was intertwined with (feline) Felix between (human) Jeongin and Changbin. The latter two were utterly  _ entranced  _ by the movie that the youngest had chosen. So much so that they refused to get snack and drink refills for themselves and had guilted Seungmin (the Loser King) into serving them. Shockingly, the pup didn’t object.

And Chan? He sat back against the wall watching his clan. Since  _ that  _ night, he hadn’t quite found his place again. The color and fabric of his blankets had even changed because the others held too many memories.

Being the eldest  _ and  _ the leader gave him an awkward (read: unwanted) amount of power. The responsibility weighed on him at the worst of times ( _ all _ of the time). It kept him up at night and woke him up early. When all of his boys were relaxed on movie nights, everything was worse. 

Their guards were down. Unprotected and vulnerable. So many things could go wrong.

But. The clan would be okay. Because  _ Chan  _ would protect them.

They  _ had _ to be okay.

Because his seven boys (and now Hana, too) were all he had to live for.

**Author's Note:**

> Food for Thought:  
> Freki is a figure born from Snorri Sturluson’s Prose Edda.  
> Changbin and Felix have epithets drawn from Homer.  
> Other references include: Wicca by Scott Cunningham and Of Blood and Bones by Kate Freuler. Also, inspiration was drawn from: https://www.theoi.com/Titan/Helios.html.


End file.
